The Last Laugh (Footlights revue)

The Last Laugh (Footlights revue). The 1981 annual revue staged by the Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, *The Last Laugh* was a significant production in the club's history, marking a transition towards a more contemporary and politically engaged comedic style. It served as a prominent showcase for a generation of performers and writers who would later achieve considerable success in British television and West End theatre. The revue's success, including a run at the Lyric Theatre, London, cemented its reputation as a influential satirical work from the early 1980s.

Background and production

The production was created during the 1980-81 academic year under the presidency of Jimmy Mulville. This period followed the influential tenure of Clive Anderson and coincided with a broader shift in British comedy away from the surrealism of the previous decade. The creative team sought to address the contemporary political climate of the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, blending traditional sketch comedy with sharper observational and political edge. The revue was developed through the club's traditional workshop process at their home, the Footlights Clubroom in Cambridge.

Content and sketches

The material in *The Last Laugh* featured a mix of musical numbers, character monologues, and ensemble sketches that lampooned 1980s British culture and institutions. Recurring themes included critiques of the Conservative government, the rise of consumerism, and the absurdities of academia. Notable sketches often parodied specific formats like television news programs, with send-ups of broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV. The revue also included more abstract pieces that showcased the performers' talents for physical comedy and witty wordplay, maintaining the Footlights tradition of literary humor.

Cast and crew

The cast featured several future notable figures in comedy and acting. Key performers included Emma Thompson, in one of her earliest major stage performances, and Hugh Laurie, who also contributed musically. The company further included Stephen Fry, Tony Slattery, Penny Dwyer, and Jan Ravens. The revue was directed by John G. D. G. Muir, with musical direction often handled by Hugh Laurie. The writing was a collaborative effort by the entire cast, a hallmark of the Footlights process, with significant contributions from Fry, Laurie, and Thompson.

Reception and legacy

Upon its premiere in Cambridge, the revue was met with strong critical approval for its intelligence and polished performances. Its transfer to the Lyric Theatre, London in the summer of 1981 garnered positive reviews in major publications like The Times and The Guardian, praising its freshness compared to previous Footlights shows. The production is historically significant for consolidating the early professional partnership between Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, a duo that would later achieve fame in *A Bit of Fry & Laurie* and *Jeeves and Wooster*. It also marked a key early credit for Emma Thompson, preceding her work on *The Crystal Cube* and her Academy Award-winning film career.

Release and media

Following its stage run, a truncated version of the revue was recorded for television and broadcast by the BBC in 1982, expanding its audience beyond the theatre. This recording has occasionally been referenced in documentaries about British comedy history, such as those examining the Footlights lineage. While no official commercial video or audio release was produced, bootleg recordings of the stage show have circulated among enthusiasts. The script and archival material related to the production are held in the Footlights archives and the University of Cambridge library system.

Category:Cambridge University Footlights revues Category:1981 plays Category:British sketch comedy